AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX vs Intel Core Ultra 3 205 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits this comparison cleanly by workload. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX dominates multi-threaded throughput with 10 wins out of 13 head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 takes the single-thread crown and little else. The AMD part posts an average benchmark score of 71,797 against the Intel part's 31,473, placing the Ryzen in the 94th percentile of all CPUs versus the 82nd percentile for the Core Ultra 3.

For heavy parallel workloads such as rendering, data compression, encryption, and integer math, the Ryzen 7 8840HX is the clear pick. Its 12 cores and 24 threads double the thread count of the Intel part, and the results show it. In integer math the AMD chip leads by 167.6%, and in data compression it is 90.5% ahead. Those are not marginal differences; they are generational gaps in throughput.

The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 wins the single-core battles. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2803 beats the Ryzen's 1857 by 33.7%, and its PassMark single-thread score of 4575 beats 3958 by 13.5%. For lightly threaded applications, legacy software, or tasks where one fast core matters more than many adequate ones, the Intel part has the advantage.

The desktop market segment for the Intel chip and the mobile segment for the AMD chip also matter. The Ryzen 7 8840HX uses AMD Socket FL1, typical of mobile platforms, while the Core Ultra 3 205 uses Intel Socket 1851 for desktop builds. The data does not include platform costs, but the socket difference dictates which systems can use each processor.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 has 8 cores and 8 threads. The AMD part runs a base clock of 2.90 GHz and boosts to 5.10 GHz. The Intel part runs a higher base clock of 3.80 GHz but boosts to only 4.90 GHz.

Thermal design power is close: 55 W for the AMD part and 57 W for the Intel part. The AMD chip uses the Zen 4 architecture on the Dragon Range codename, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC with 13,140 million transistors across 2x 71 mm² dies. The Intel chip uses the Arrow Lake architecture on Arrow Lake-S, built on a 3 nm process at TSMC with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die.

Cache configurations differ substantially. The AMD part has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB shared L3. The Intel part has 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and only 15 MB shared L3. The AMD chip's 64 MB L3 is over four times the Intel part's shared L3 capacity.

Memory bandwidth favors Intel. Both support DDR5 on dual-channel memory buses, but the Intel part records 102.4 GB/s versus 83.2 GB/s for the AMD part. Neither supports ECC memory. PCIe lanes favor AMD with Gen 5 and 28 lanes (CPU only) versus Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only) for Intel.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD part uses Radeon 610M; the Intel part uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier; the Intel part does not. The AMD part released on 2025-04-22, and the Intel part released on 2025-07-31. The Intel part carries a launch MSRP of $140.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX has 12 cores and 24 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 has 8 cores and 8 threads. The AMD part has 4 more cores and 16 more threads.

Q: Which processor wins in single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 wins both single-core benchmark tests. It scores 2803 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 1857 for the AMD part, a 33.7% lead. In PassMark single-thread, it scores 4575 versus 3958, a 13.5% lead.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX leads by 27.2% in Cinebench R23 multi-core with a score of 25265 versus 19856. The gap is larger in PassMark multithread, where AMD leads 41732 to 26167, a 59.5% difference.

Q: Which processor has the larger L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX has 64 MB shared L3 cache. The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 has 15 MB shared L3 cache. The AMD part holds over four times the L3 capacity.

Q: What are the process nodes for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX uses a 5 nm TSMC process. The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 uses a 3 nm TSMC process. Both are fabricated by TSMC.

Q: Which processor supports more PCIe lanes?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX supports Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only). The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 supports Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The AMD part has 8 more PCIe lanes.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single win for the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX comes in PassMark integer math. The AMD part scores 146506 against 54755 for Intel, a 167.6% advantage. This test measures raw integer computation throughput, and the AMD part's 12 cores with SMT deliver nearly three times the result.

Data compression shows a similar pattern. The AMD part scores 496427 against 260651, a 90.5% lead. Random string sorting follows at 86.5% ahead, with scores of 57971 versus 31083. These tests are heavily parallel and benefit directly from the AMD part's 24 threads.

Encryption and extended instructions both favor AMD by large margins. Data encryption scores 29919 versus 18772, a 59.4% lead. Extended instructions scores 36527 versus 22578, a 61.8% lead. PassMark multithread shows 41732 versus 26167, a 59.5% gap.

Cinebench R23 multi-core gives the AMD part a 25265 to 19856 win, a 27.2% advantage. This is the most commonly cited rendering benchmark in the database, and the AMD part's lead here is substantial but smaller than in the PassMark parallel tests.

Floating point math favors AMD by 15.5%, with scores of 86747 versus 75136. Physics simulation favors AMD by 8.4%, with scores of 2185 versus 2016. Prime number finding favors AMD by 13.4%, with scores of 304 versus 268. These are more moderate wins, but they still go consistently to the AMD part.

The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 takes the Cinebench R23 single-core test by 33.7%, scoring 2803 versus 1857. The PassMark single-thread test gives Intel a 13.5% win, 4575 versus 3958. Both tests reflect the Intel part's higher base clock of 3.80 GHz and the efficiency of the Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm process.

The overall win count is 10 for AMD and 3 for Intel. The three Intel wins are all single-thread tests. Every multi-threaded test in the head-to-head set goes to the AMD part.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Dragon Range codename. It is built on a 5 nm process at TSMC with 13,140 million transistors spread across 2x 71 mm² dies. The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 uses the Arrow Lake architecture under the Arrow Lake-S codename, built on a 3 nm process at TSMC with 17,800 million transistors on a single 243 mm² die.

The core designs reflect different priorities. The AMD part provides 12 cores and 24 threads through simultaneous multithreading. The Intel part provides 8 cores and 8 threads with no SMT. The Intel part compensates with higher per-core clocks: a 3.80 GHz base versus 2.90 GHz and a 4.90 GHz boost versus 5.10 GHz. The AMD part boosts higher, but the Intel part runs faster at base.

Cache hierarchy differs in both capacity and placement. The AMD part uses 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB shared L3. The Intel part uses 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 15 MB shared L3. The larger per-core L1 and L2 on the Intel part support its single-thread performance. The much larger shared L3 on the AMD part supports its multi-threaded workloads.

Both processors use DDR5 memory on dual-channel buses, but the memory bandwidth figures differ. The Intel part records 102.4 GB/s versus 83.2 GB/s for the AMD part. Neither supports ECC memory. Both support PCIe Gen 5, but the AMD part provides 28 lanes (CPU only) versus 20 lanes (CPU only) for Intel.

The process node difference is significant. The Intel part uses a 3 nm process versus 5 nm for the AMD part. Despite this, the AMD part achieves higher multi-threaded scores, suggesting that core count and thread count matter more than process geometry in these workloads.

The AMD part is an unlocked multiplier part, allowing overclocking. The Intel part has a locked multiplier. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FL1; the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1851. The AMD part targets the mobile market segment; the Intel part targets the desktop segment.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX wins in every multi-threaded benchmark category in the database. The largest margins come from integer math at 167.6% ahead, data compression at 90.5%, and random string sorting at 86.5%. These workloads scale with core count and thread count, and the AMD part's 12 cores and 24 threads dominate.

Encryption and extended instruction workloads also favor AMD strongly, with leads of 59.4% and 61.8% respectively. The PassMark multithread test shows a 59.5% lead. Cinebench R23 multi-core, the standard rendering benchmark, gives AMD a 27.2% lead. Even the lighter parallel tests, physics at 8.4% and prime numbers at 13.4%, go to AMD.

The AMD part's 64 MB shared L3 cache helps in workloads that repeatedly access large data sets. Its 28 PCIe Gen 5 lanes support more expansion devices than the Intel part's 20 lanes. The unlocked multiplier offers tuning flexibility that the locked Intel part cannot match.

The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 wins the single-thread tests. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2803 beats the AMD part's 1857 by 33.7%. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4575 beats 3958 by 13.5%. These results come from the combination of a 3.80 GHz base clock, larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, and the 3 nm Arrow Lake architecture.

The Intel part also records higher memory bandwidth at 102.4 GB/s versus 83.2 GB/s. Its 243 mm² die with 17,800 million transistors is a single monolithic design, while the AMD part uses a dual-die design at 2x 71 mm².

For the benchmark results as a whole, the Intel part is a strong single-thread performer that sits in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are Intel Core 7 240H, AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX, Intel Core Ultra 5 225H, and Intel Core i5-13500, all within 0.1% of its average score. The AMD part sits in the 94th percentile with nearest rivals Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF, Intel Xeon Platinum 8270, Intel Xeon 6517P, and Intel Xeon 6724P, all within 0.8% of its average score.

The data shows two processors optimized for different ends of the workload spectrum. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX is the throughput leader across parallel tasks. The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 is the single-thread leader with a 13.5% to 33.7% advantage in lightly threaded tests. System builders choosing between them should match the processor to the dominant workload type.